


Pick A Star

by shopfront



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Community: dw_femslash, F/F, Fix-It, Time Travel, Timey-Wimey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-11
Updated: 2012-11-11
Packaged: 2017-11-18 10:16:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/559893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shopfront/pseuds/shopfront
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Story within a story fic, with a side of timey-wimey fix-it. </p>
<p>Lady Song reached for Reinette's hand and raised it to her own lips. "You told me once that to wait forever is to have no purpose. That if you were to be stuck on the slow path, then I must make it not seem so, for life is too glorious.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pick A Star

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Joanne_c](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joanne_c/gifts).



> Written for joanne_c as part of the Doctor Who femslash ficathon at dw_femslash.

It all started one pleasant morning in Reinette's private courtyard in the Versaille gardens. Finally having shooed, cajoled and threatened away the last servant, she settled herself in front of her tea tray ready to enjoy a little peace in the sunshine.

Unfortunately that peace was interrupted by a flare of light - painfully bright to Reinette's eyes, even at mid-morning. Then a strange woman fell out of Reinette's favourite flowering hedge and crashed onto the delicate table set before her. 

The commotion sent Reinette jumping, hands attempting to press and swing her skirts clear of flying furniture and crockery as she went. 

It was a rather ineffectual attempt, all told. Reinette quickly found herself falling to the ground also, landing half on top of the woman to the tinkling sound of more crushed crockery.

"Sorry about that," the woman gasped, her red lips wide in a grin and leaves in her hair, and a warm hand steady on Reinette's waist. "Are you quite all right?"

Lost for breath in the rigid grasp of her skirts and corsets, Reinette attempted to feign a somewhat convincing nod in reply and to gather herself, but the woman's eyes narrowed.

"Here now, let me -" 

"-no, I can move myself." Reinette attempted to protest as one hand became two, but she was already being manoeuvered about quite firmly and she heaved a small sigh as she was propped up such that the boning in her corset shifted into a more forgiving position.

"I insist. It's the least I can do, after pulling you down like that."

"No - truer - words," Reinette said between pulling the deepest breaths possible back into her lungs. 

From her new vantage point on the ground, Reinette carefully scrutinised the woman as she breathed. She seemed to be made of flesh and blood, for she was solid and warm where they were still pressed against each other in a tangle. No monster in a strange mask...

Reinette shook herself slightly.

_Be less paranoid_ , she scolded herself, _the Doctor's message was clear. Versaille is safe for yet four more years._

The woman didn't appear injured. Her clothes seemed ragged and singed in places, _and perhaps a little odd_... Reinette thought. Then the woman kneeled up; Reinette's eyes widened, she couldn't help but let them linger a moment on the sight of a woman in men's trousers.

Reinette did not lift her gaze until her gasping began to lessen, and the woman held out her hands in response. Together they somehow managed to stuggle Reinette back to her feet.

"Thank you," Reinette said, tightening her grip on the woman's hands for a moment before releasing her. "Well then, who are you to be stumbling so brazenly about the royal gardens?"

The woman's smile slipped, replaced by something efficiently curious that took Reinette aback, leaving herself now feeling the scruitnized one. But before she could take offense it was speedily replaced by a fresh smile.

"River Song," came the answer, with a little tip of the woman's head and a quirk of her lips.

"And what, perchance, is your errand here Lady Song?"

"Ooh, Lady, that's a new one-"

Reinette arched an eyebrow.

"- I'm looking for someone. Have you, perchance, seen a man about recently? Tall, young, a little bit odd. My guidebook told me he might have very unusual hair for the current fashions. A bit tall, sort of... spikey."

Reinette's brow furrowed.

"Will you walk with me?" she asked after a short pause, and began a slow pace away from the disaster of knocked down furniture and spoiled food.

When she wasn't instantly followed she motioned for Lady Song to join her.

"You must forgive my curiosity, but what is this _guidebook_?" Reinette asked after they had begun walking side by side. "And what sort of book describes a man's grooming without also telling you his name?

"A very special book. He's a doctor, if that rings any bells."

Reinette asked sharply, "a doctor? Are you injured? I'll call for assistance-"

"No need, I dont have a scratch on me, see," Lady Song suddenly did a little twirl and dropped into a deep courtsey, holding imaginary skirts wide. A laugh rolled out of her mouth and across the courtyard as she did so, but it could not still the fear that had gripped Reinette's heart.

"...I'm afraid I don't recall him," she said, lips pursed and eyes narrowed, but Lady Song paid no heed.

"Are you sure? I hear he's quite memorable, I suspect he might have a little bit of a swagger-" 

The lady rose from her courtsey as she spoke, still laughing, but her voice died when she looked upon Reinette's face.

"I'm sorry, my dear," she said, voice quiet now and stripped of all gaiety. She raised a hand towards Reinette's face, but did not close the final distance when Reinette stiffened. "I seem to have arrived too early. I take it the clocks haven't stopped again yet?"

"Who are you?" Reinette demanded, then demanded again when her only answer was a heavy sigh. " _Who are you?_ "

"I am a... a friend."

"A friend who knows the Doctor? How?"

"A story for another day, my dear." Lady Song pulled up her sleeve, revealing a strangely thick leather bracelet with all sort of grooves and patterns on it. Reinette felt curiosity tugging at her. It reminded her of her glimpse into the Doctor's cold world, but she was not the sort of woman to be so easily swayed from her purpose. She refused to be.

"Explain yourself," she demanded, reaching for the lady's elbow, tightening her grip when she received no answer. "You are from his world, are you not? Answer me!"

Lady Song sighed again. "Reinette..."

"How do you know my name? Did he send you?"

"No," she replied at last. "No, the Doctor didn't send me. I came on my own, I had something to tell you."

"So the Doctor did not send you... yet you ask for him anyway?"

"Spoilers," Lady Song said with a lilt back in her voice, then lifted a finger to Reinette's lips to still further questions. "That means, my dear, that I cannot tell you yet. You know already that there are things that cannot be explained or easily understood, that some things must wait."

Reinette opened her mouth again, but Lady Song only pressed her finger hard against her lips once more until Reinette could taste the salt on her skin. She stayed still, leaning in towards Reinette, her eyes intense and seemingly searching for something.

"Then answer me this," she said ar last, once Lady Song seemed satisfied and dropped her hand, taking her silence for capitulation, "you move through time as he does?"

Lady Song smiled wryly.

"Are you seeing my life pressed together in a single day, rather than a lifetime, as he does? Oh but you will not answer that either," Reinette felt tears build inexplicably in her eyes, and tried to turn her face aside, but Lady Song would not let her.

"Not a single day, never just a single day," she said, grasping Reinette by the shoulders, suddenly deathly serious. Then she pulled Reinette close and held her tightly. Her hair was soft against Reinette's cheek, the sensation only broken by the scratch of a leaf now pressed into her skin. "I came too soon," she murmured, her tone angry, seemingly at herself.

Reinette pulled away after a moment, with a cough to cover her tears. Then she clenched her jaw and stood tall. "You must see many wonders."

"You'll see them for yourself one day," said Lady Song, stepping back with a smile once more.

Reinette frowned. "I don't understand, do you mean with the Doctor? I'll see those wonders with him?"

Lady Song reached for Reinette's hand and raised it to her own lips.

"You told me once that to wait forever is to have no purpose, that only short stretches were truly tolerable. That if you were to be stuck on the slow path, then I must make it not seem so, for life is too glorious for all things to seem so slow. That is all I can say."

"I don't understand..."

"You will. After the clocks have stopped and you have seen the Doctor for the last time, you will pick a star and I will come back for you." And with that, she turned and began to walk away.

Reinette watched her hips sway for a moment before calling after her.

"Lady Song? ... River!"

Those eyes were just as sharp and those lips just as red, Reinette found, when seen glancing back over a shoulder instead of in close quarters.

"You said you had something to tell me?"

"How silly of me! I would have had to come back a second time..." River smirked. "Your childhood fireplace, the one the Doctor spoke to you in, you need to have it moved to your new rooms before he returns. Don't forget now."

Then she raised a hand in farewell, before lowering it to her wrist and blinking out of existance.


End file.
